“A quality pair of binoculars or a spotting scope will give you a closer view of an animal in the wild, but you can’t share it with your friends back home,” writes David Schloss in the Nov-Dec Audubon. “A good camera and lens combination, on the other hand, will help make your memories last forever, whether you’re observing alligators in a bayou or watching condors from a mountaintop.”

And so begins Schloss’ guide to cameras. Some key pointers he offers for picking your equipment:

- Decide between an SLR, a compact, or a hybrid

- Choose a camera with enough resolution to capture the level of detail you desire, whether that’s a hummingbird’s wings or an elephant’s wrinkles

- Pick a lens that’s appropriate for the type of shooting you plan to do (e.g., landscape shots fare much better through wide lenses)

For more recommendations from Schloss, including his suggestions for which camera to purchase based on how much you want to spend, check out the pullout.